‘They find the city intimidating’: I help young people in rural areas broaden their horizons
A really interesting insight into some of the challenges facing people in rural settings…..
“If they miss one bus, it’s back to square one,” says Susie Pasotti. A neighbourhood officer for housing association Rooftop, Pasotti has spent four years supporting young adults with accommodation, benefits, and other services.
Travel options – or the lack of them – in the Forest of Dean, part of rural Gloucestershire, have a big effect on young adults seeking help. “If they’re given an appointment at 9.30am, anyone who has actually looked at the bus timetables knows they won’t get there on time,” she points out.
The small town of Cinderford, like many rural towns, lacks services for young adults. They have to travel 18 miles to Gloucester to attend assessments with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), probation appointments or college.
Many young adults have rarely left the local area independently before. Pasotti says some have told her they’ve missed appointments rather than face travelling to the city. “They find it intimidating. They worry about youths, or how to get to the appointment from the bus stop,” she says.
“For some, the thought of going to Gloucester is anathema. One young chap was quite confident but told me he couldn’t go to Gloucester. I was really surprised, but to him it was a big city like London.”
Like many housing officers, Pasotti is now trying to tackle more issues with fewer resources. Funding for public services in Gloucestershire was cut by more than £35m in 2018-19, while demand is growing. More young people are experiencing issues such as depression and anxiety, yet there is less money and fewer resources to support them, she says. The result? “There’s a lot more cannabis use, and self-medicating.”
The challenges don’t stop when young people find work. Many struggle to manage a budget, often falling into arrears. As soon as they get a job, they have to pay up to £60 a week more in top-up rent, as well as council tax and other bills. “It’s a real eye-opener,” says Pasotti. Fines and arrears quickly build up if young people don’t pay their bills on time.
It all makes Pasotti’s job harder. “We don’t want a whole raft of people thinking it’s going to be easier if they stay on benefits, because as soon as they work, they can’t afford the rent,” she comments. “That’s not good for your mental health. Day in day out, it limits confidence.”
Despite the challenges, job satisfaction comes from the small measures that can have a big impact on people’s lives: “What seems like a little achievement, such as someone calling the DWP themselves to sort out an issue on their own, is a big deal,” says Pasotti.